ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bound — certain
  4. fine — all right
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fine — high quality
  7. spell — letters
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. cell — in biology
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bound — obliged
  14. spell — a short time
  15. chip — for betting
  16. game — a match
  17. spell — magic
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cell — a phone
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com